Safety automatic stopping device for automobiles and the like vehicles



Jan. 2, 1940. K. YAMADA 2,185,936

SAFETY AUTOMATIC STOPPING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE VEHICLES Filed Dec. 1, 195a 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.l

9 Ifi 32- H I 32 33 l2 I2 33 36- --36 J 7 4 //4 M i 54 oa 15/? 5 N [/7 ,7 E o q 0O I so 5 -26 INVENTOR.

Jan. 2, 1940'. K. YAMADA SAFETY AUTOMATIC STOPPING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE VEHICLES Filed Dec. 1, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 tirl .w E2 i INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 2, 1940 SAFETY AUTOMATIO smprmafnmcs FOR AU'roMoBiLss snnurnn LIKE- vs- H'ICLES Kiiti' Yamada, Nagoya-,EJapan Application December 1,, 1 938,;Serial' No. 243 454" 7 In Japan October 14, 1938 W 2 Claims. (Cl; 180-83 My invention relates to improvements in av safety automatic stopping device for automobiles and the like vehicles and more particularly to means for automatically applying emergency brakes, operated by a pneumatic cylinder con-- trolled. by. an electrically operated valve, to wheelsun'der the control of a bumper and speed responsive governor device, and its object is to pcovide a safety stopping device for automobiles collision. a 1

In accordance with my invention an air compressor is driven by the prime mover for the vehicle itself while running. to store the compressed a irin a reservoir and a bumper is held in positions infront of the vehicle varying in dependence on'the vehicle speed andmeans is provided to apply the wheel brakes upon engagement of the bumper with an obstacle and to release the bumper for rearward displacement.

My invention will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

25 In the drawings, Fig. l is a diagrammatic plan view of an automobile showing the application of my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the bumper operating cylinder; Fig. 3 is a partial sectional plan view of the distributing cylinder 30 and governor valve, Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the brake cylinder and its controlling solenoid valve; and Fig. 5 is a side view showing the arrangement of brake operating levers, Figs. 2 to 5 being drawn in an enlarged scale.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, l

represents the frame of an automobile; 2 designates wheels; 3 is the housing for the main driving shaft driven by the engine 4. In accordance with my invention an air compressor-5 is arranged to be driven by the engine 4 through a suitable transmission device 5. The delivery pipe I of the compressor 5 is connected to a pressure tank or reservoir 8 serving as the operating energy source. 45 at each end to a spring member H) which has a projecting shank M inserted into the hollow end of the plunger rod 12 with the spring I3 interposed between the spring 10 and the rod l2. The plunger rod 12 is extended into the cylinder 14 which is fixed to the frame and has a piston l5 secured to the end of the rod. The piston 15 is actuated by a spiral spring I 6 and the cylinder 54 has a number of small exhaust holes ll located at different points in its length and the cylinder is connected with a and like vehicles. in case of emergency such as 9 represents a bumper secured distributing cylinder; is through the "pipe 1 I9. The. distributing cylinder i8 is, as more clearly shownin Fig.3) -.connected throughapipe} gala governor; valve 2! and a pipe 22 to. the compressed air reservoir 8. The governor valve 2! isfcon} nected' with; the :c'e'ntrifugalv device 23., which -,is

connected 'withthe gear 2t engaging a art of N the .tranemission; gearing! of the engine' to be driven threbyat a speed proportional to that" I ofthe automobile. "I f the centrifugal device 23 is :driven. at'ja higher speed the valve 2.! opens the passage wider to pass 'a' greater quantityjofcompressed air therethrough and deliveritto the cylinder sl'through'the pipe l9. The cylinder v l8 has an ei rhaust port2 5: which is openedjor closed by'avalve 26-; 'the valve rod 21" of which 28 is connected to the armature 29. of an electromagnetv 30 which when energized acts to open the valve 26. 3| represents exhaust openings.

a switch 32 put on the topof the plunger rod I2.

position in case of collision. One member of the switch' 32 is connected through the conductor 33 1 to one terminal of the electro-magnet' 30, and the other terminal 34 of the electro-magnet is connected to-one side of a battery 35 and the other side of the battery 35 is connected to the switch 32 through the conductor 36. Thus when the switch 32 is closed the Valve 26 opens the,

exhaust port 25 to relieve the pressure in the distributing cylinder directly and not to deliverv 35 the pressure to the cylinders I l.

The brake system consists of .a pneumatic cylinder 3'! (refer to Fig. 4;) having apiston. 38 slidably fitted therein to operate the brake on the wheel through a suitable link and lever mechanism. The cylinder 3'! is connected to the pressure reservoir 8 through the pipe 39, a sole-f The piston'rod ll of the brake cylinder piston 3B (referto Fig. 5) is connected with thelever 48 which is fixed to the brake operating shaft To the shaft v49 arefixed the foot pedal lever 50, handle 5|. and arm 52 which is connected it i 20 The electro-magnet 3t isunder the-control of.

The switch'tz .is constructed to be closed f when the bumper 9 is shifted to the backward to the rods 53 and 54 for operating band brakes on the Vehicle wheels.

The operation of the above: described device is as follows: When the automobile is running the air compressor 5 is driven by the engine and charges the compressed air automatically into the reservoir 8 through the pipe I and the governor valve 2| opens the port in proportion to the vehicle speed so that pressure proportional to the speed of the automobile isapplied to the pistons I5 in the cylinders M through the distributing chamber I 8 and thepipes l9. Then the pistons l5 are pushed forward and occupy the position where the force of the spring l6 and the air pressure overcoming the leakage through the holes I! balance. the bumper 9 is held at a suitable forward position corresponding to the speed of the automobile to be responsive to an accidental collision. Prior to actual collision of the vehicle, the bumper 9 is first moved backward against the spring l3 to close the switch 32. Then the electrical circuits for the electromagnets 30 and 43 are established through the switch 32 to open the valves 26 and 40 respectively. At this moment the compressed air supply to the cylinders I4 is relieved through the opening 25 while the compressed air is supplied to the brake cylinder 31 so that the piston 38 is pushed forward by the air pressure and applies the brakes at once tostop the automobile safely before the violent collision takes place.

. I claim: 1

hicle operated governor valve connected with said reservoir, means controlled by said valve for holding said bumper in positions varying in dependence on the speed of the vehicle, an electric valve device for rendering the bumper holding means ineffective, a pneumatic brake device for applying the brakes to the vehicle wheels; and a switch operated by said bumper upon impact with an obstacle for actuating said valve and brake device.

2. A safety automatic stopping device for motor vehicles, comprising wheels and brakes for said wheels, a compressed air reservoir, cylinders supported by the vehicle and having exhaust apertures spaced longitudinally thereof, pistons movable in said cylinders adapted to successively uncover said apertures, springs normally tending to move said pistons rearwardly of the vehicle, rods carried by the pistons, a bumper secured to said rods and movable relative theretoya distributing chamber connected with said cylinders and with said reservoir, a vehicle operated governorvalve for controlling the passage of air from the reservoirto said distributing chamber and cylinders, whereby the air supplied to the cylinders varies in dependence upon the vehicle speed and acts upon said pistons to move the latter together with the bumper to variable positions, a further air exhaust valve in said distributing chamber, means for applying the brakes to thevehicle wheels, and means controlled in dependence upon relative movement between the bumper and said rods for opening the air exhaust valve and actuating said brake pplying means.

KII'I'I YAMADA. 

